How is school ball going this year: My experience...

[Dave619]

This is DDs first year as a 7th grader playing JV softball. I have been around various sports enough to know that politics and various influences can creep into situations where they shouldn't. I have to say I have been pleasantly surprised this year and my DD is really enjoying the experience. We are pretty heavy into travel ball, but I am enjoying school ball far more than I thought I would.

What I like about this coach is he gives all the girls opportunities most games to either play in the field or hit, etc. Now this may sound like some type of rec. ball team by doing that, but he does have the luxury of having little to no drop off with any of his line ups so he can mix people in without any loss. I recognize this is a very unique situation to have equal talent. This team is about half 8th grades and half 7th graders and he gives the 8th graders a little more playing time than 7th graders.

My DD is a pitcher and from what I have seen with school ball is the coach will have one pitcher...pitch them over and over and anyone else gets scraps. DDs JV coach has 3 very capable pitchers and it appears so far he has a pitching rotation so DD is getting her share of innings. With who the other two pitchers are this could easily turn into one of those "political" things...but this coach is giving my DD the opportunity to prove herself and deserve pitching time. So far she has delivered and he has actually pitched her the most innings. On the other hand if she didn't perform, well he gave her the opportunity to prove herself. The other two are good pitchers as well and they all deserve mound time.

He is a good teacher of the game, he knows when to push and when to encourage, and I can tell DD wants to play hard and please him. The team is 4-1 at this point and we have beaten a few really good teams so I cannot argue with the coach's formula.

Again, just very pleased on how this first year is going with school ball and watching my DD improve as a player. Most of us have been in situations on teams that have issues with players, coaches, parents, etc. It is just nice to not get hung up on all the stuff that tends to cause issues and just sit and enjoy watching my DD and her teammates. I hope all of you are having a good year as well.

 

[InsidePitch]

DD is two weeks into the season and the coach hasn't posted a Varsity roster. It seems like we know who's on the Varsity but some of the Freshmen, DD included don't want to tell their TB friends until it's official.

DD went 3for 3 in the scrimmage Tues and scored the first run of the season.

 

[James Smith]

DD’s coach is the same way. There are no playing time rules but they get everyone in the game. It would be easy to put the top 9 in and be done with it but they make an effort to have everyone play every game. Playing time is not equal but everyone plays and bats.

After JV season was over DD was allowed to play varsity for a little bit. The varsity coach get her into every game, mostly as a pinch runner. They really made an effort to get all the players in the game.

That is my one grip.

Pitching in MS I was not necessarily happy with. In 2 years DD has probably pitched 90% of the innings. Give other players a chance. She pitched way too much. Always a complaint.

 

[SCDad]

High School Softball is a completely different game than travel. Our coaches, who are very good I might add, do not post a complete varsity roster. Early in the season, they shuffle a bunch of players in and out. The young ones, up and down between Varsity and JV. This is to give everyone a chance (or a perception of a chance). So for the 3 spots actually "open" at least 6 or more are given a look.

Now 8 games into the season, I think the roster is solidified. The goal going forward is to tell the players that the roster is solid. Positions are solid. This rids the players of anxiety of feeling like they are "trying out" every game. Now the players can focus on relaxing and being the best team possible.

HS atmosphere, when with a good group of families, is the most fun. It can be in travel too (when young). But it takes the right family attitude. Once each of the players, and families, realize they have a spot (though maybe not "their" perfect spot), and the families all work together to elevate the team in place, that is what HS softball is all about.

And though the regular season impacts state playoff seeding, the goal is for the whole team to be hitting on all cylinders for the state playoffs. We make these playoffs every year, and once you realize it is a journey for the ultimate goal of a championship. The elements, and time. Watch how the growth is achieved. the teams who put all these pieces together, go deeper in the playoffs.

Our team is ranked 5th in our state. Other teams have more talent (at least on scholarship paper). But we know that team building, and growth, have a tremendous impact at the end, and can be the determining factor.

In my mind, it is the best.

 

[MNFastpitchDad]

Our HC posted Varsity Roster and last year they didn't do any flipping between JV and Varsity last year so I expect the same this year. My DD is a freshman and is the only pitcher on JV. With our weather up here in MN, they might have 5 games in one week and several in a weekend tournament. I wish they did what other poster's coaches do and leave the spots "open" until they've seen what these girls can actually do. Our tryouts were only two days. Is that typical?

 

[KBush]

DD is a 6th grader and was the starting JV pitcher on her team until she broke the ring finger on her throwing hand fielding a ball on the last play of a game. She was the only 6th grader playing with 7th-9th graders.

One run lead, runner on 2nd with two outs. Big time power hitter at the plate and coach decides to put her on. Goes out and has a conference with DD and catcher. First pitch is outside but the batter could still reach it, hot ground ball that one hops into the glove where DD has throwing hand over the heel of the glove. Completely fractured and dislocated finger behind first knuckle. She did pick the ball up and throw the batter out to save the game.

I was proud of her gutsy play and the fact that she pitched hard the entire game when they were missing 3 freshmen who normally anchored the team. She was 4-2 as the JV starter in her first experience "playing up".

She had surgery last week to put a pin in the finger to stabilize it while it heals. Hopefully in 6-8 weeks we can begin work once cleared by her surgeon.

 

[CoogansBluff]

DD still in middle school. Team is 2-0. Nobody thought we'd be undefeated at this point in the season. Nobody. That's because we've had 5 games scheduled, but three have been rained/snowed out. Won today 18-0 or 20-0, I lost track. But going .500 is not guaranteed. Lots of imbalance in the conference. Best teams lie ahead.

DD has hit 10 line drives in 18 travel-ball at-bats this year. She's hit 0 line drives in 6 school-ball at-bats. The lunging popup has reared its head for the first time in years as temperatures and pitcher speeds have dipped into the 30s at times this season.

 

[crystlemc]

DD made starting Varsity pitcher as a freshman. Had a scrimmage Friday and she gave up 1 hit in 3 innings pitched and went 1for 1 at bat. We are enjoying it as her parents. She is having a blast. The upperclassmen love her. In fact, she was asked to prom and the alpha female wants DD to come to her house to get ready. Being one of 2 freshmen on Varsity is doing wonders for her confidence and in turn, driving her to further elevate her game.

 

[InsidePitch]

The roster was posted today and DD made the Varsity. They scrimmaged another local school this afternoon and DD hit her first HR. A two run blast to left-center. To bad I missed it but am very happy for her.

 

[jdavenp3]

High school coach here...We do not post varsity/jv rosters. Our school is only comprised of 9-12 jv/varsity with an option to pull up an 8th grader if needed (rarely it is).

Reason we don't post a roster is we do not want to be strapped to who is on jv and varsity. If I feel that a player is making strides and deserves to see varsity level play then we will pull them up for a few innings. Same thing goes for a younger player that may be struggling at a higher level of play.

It really is a different animal than TB and many families do not grasp that. We take girls that play one 5-6 different travel teams and then solidify them into one roster. Out of that roster we must mesh together, very quickly, girls that fit our team's best interest. Playing time is earned and not guaranteed (which I feel is the same for quality tb as well).

The worst parents you can have as a high school coach is one that will not separate the mentality from the two. I do not envy tb coaches and how they must shuffle line ups, emphasize on getting players in, and the scheduling of practices/games/travel in general. I believe tb coaches are the same way with high school coaches. There are niche's that we both fill. I highly respect the tb coach that does it well and does it the right way.

I'd love to be able to do both and stay immersed in the sport with girls and practice year round but unfortunately we are not allowed to do that by NFHS bylaws.